Some Guidelines to the Interpretation of Prophecy, Pt. 1

(Beginning today, for 4 Saturdays on our blog, we will post an article by Victor Buksbazen on principles of interpretation for prophetic passages.  We do not normally publish other people's writings but have found this exceptional.  It is from pp299-303 in his Isaiah commentary.  Bibliography information will appear at the end of the last post on Aug. 5, 2017.)

by Victor Buksbazen

“Philip heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said: ‘Understandest thou what thou readest?’ And he said, ‘How can I, except some man should guide me?’” (Acts 8:30-31).

          We can readily sympathize with the Ethiopian eunuch who could not understand what he was reading in the book of Isaiah. How often have we ourselves wished that we might have a sure guide who would help us understand prophecy?

          To help the Bible reader to better understand the writing of the prophets, we have set forth a few common-sense, basic guidelines and principles.

1.     The first and most important condition for the understanding of the Scriptures in general, and of the prophetic writings in particular, is to remember that the Bible differs from all other literature known to men. Here God Himself speaks to man.

          It is therefore essential that we approach the study of the Scriptures with reverence and humility, and with an ear attuned to the voice of God. Any other approach, be it ever so scholarly, will not reveal the deeper meaning of prophecy. Just as in order to understand music one must have an ear for the harmony, the beauty of the message of music, just as in order to understand any form of art one must have an eye which is capable of appreciation of the form, the beauty and the meaning of the work of art, so also is it essential that our inner ear and eye be adjusted to the prophetic message. Some people are physically blind, others suffer from color blindness, but there are multitudes who are afflicted with spiritual blindness. The Psalmist prayed: “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things out of thy law” (Psa. 119:18).

          The knowledge of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, of archeology, of history, or the classics, while most useful, will never replace spiritual insight and comprehension. The Apostle Paul tells us that: “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor.2:14).

          The study of Scripture, to be fruitful, must be done in a spirit of humility, not presuming to set ourselves up as judges of the Word of God, but rather such as who are willing to submit themselves to its judgment.

          The Apostle Peter writes: “God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5).

2.     Before proceeding with the interpretation of prophecy it is essential to determine what is the literal meaning of the prophet’s message. Ask yourself the question, “What was it that the prophet sought to convey to his listeners or to his readers?” When we understand this, we have made the first step in understanding what the particular message means to us today.